Active Vision Lab
InferenceLab
VALUE Lab

These eye trackers are optimised for portability allowing them to be worn by their users. This allows eye movement data to be recorded in real world settings. This type of eye tracker is particularly popular for studying topics such as shopping behaviour. These are not widely available for commercial research, so this is an excellent opportunity to utilise their unique benefits.


We currently have three mobile eye tracking systems. Two of these are supplied by Positive Science LLC. These are head-mounted video-based trackers with cameras mounted on glasses frames. This system has both tethered and mobile options. When tethered, video feeds are streamed to a mac and eye position is fitted on-line in real time. The mobile option allows complete freedom of movement for the participant, with video data recorded onto portable digital recorders. The kit is exceptionally lightweight, with recording gear housed in a small waist bag.

Eye position is calculated using Positive Science's Yarbus software. This software produces robust and reliable estimates of eye position in both tethered and mobile recording conditions. We have found the options available for setup and calibration to be excellent and allow good tracking in a range of conditions.


Our remaining mobile system is the RIT/ISCAN wearable eye tracker. This tracker consists of a base unit and software supplied by ISCAN, together with head-mounted optics supplied by Jason Babcock. The video signals from the two cameras (scene and eye) are compressed into a single video signal. This signal is recorded to a miniDV, housed in a rucksack worn by the participant. This eye tracker is robust to both indoor and outdoor recording environments. After completion of the experiment the scene and eye signals are separated and played through software housed in the ISCAN base unit in order to extract gaze position. This eye tracker allows gaze position to be calculated to a realistic accuracy of 1 degree, and with a temporal resolution of 60 Hz. After fitting the gaze position marker using the ISCAN software, analysis involves frame-by-frame extraction of eye movement data using a video editing suite in CORE.

We have an EyeLink 1000 from SR Research. This is an ultra-high precision lab based tracker. Eye movements can be recorded during presentation of on-screen stimuli. Anything that can be displayed on a computer screen can be used as the stimulus. This eye tracker can be used with or without a chin rest, offers monocular and binocular tracking and possesses a unique “remote mode” where participants are free to move their head naturally without the need for restraints. Better accuracy is achieved with the chin rest, but being able to track without the chin rest is useful for children and special populations.

We have two EyeLink II eye trackers, which are used in a range of projects in the Centre. This eye tracker is made by SR Research Ltd and has a typical spatial accuracy of better than 0.25 degrees and a temporal accuracy of up to 500 Hz. This eye tracker is used for experiments where stimuli are viewed on a computer screen, with the participant seated in front of the monitor. Saccades and fixations are classified using software supplied by SR Research Ltd. Subsequent analyses use MATLAB-based software developed in-house.

When recording eye movements in reading horizontal accuracy is the crucial aspect of eye tracking solutions. We have a Dr. Bouis eye racker that is ideally suited for this kind of research.

The Dual Purkinje Eye Tracker offers unrivalled spatial eye tracking precision.

Video editing suite

This editing suite was paid for on a Royal Society Research Grant. The suite comprises 2 JVC miniDV player/recorders with remote controller, ISCAN base unit, channel mixer, A-D converter, and Dell PC with video capture card and editing software.